SCAM ALERT: Bad actors posing as Michigan non-profit employees

BERRIEN COUNTY, Mich. -- The Berrien Community Foundation is warning the community about bad actors electronically posing as their employees to make large purchases.

Specifically, foundation officials say the scammers have been attempting to make large purchases of laptop computers through email.

Officials add the bad actors are misrepresenting themselves by making minor changes to the actual email addresses of BCF employees.

Several fraudulent large purchases have already been thwarted by local business owners who followed up directly with BCF, thus revealing the scam.

BCF officials say there's been no computer systems breach and there are no indications of any personal information having been compromised.

“Thanks to the vigilance of several local business owners, these purchases didn’t go through,” said BCF President Lisa Cripps-Downey. "We are working with the online webhost who issued the domain name to prevent reoccurrence, but as we all know, the potential for phishing scams is limitless. BCF is also working with the Berrien County Sheriff to protect local businesses and our employees.”

If you suspect someone is posing as a BCF employee, you may contact BCF here to confirm.